Betty Camacho is a frequent customer at Maverick’s House, the benevolence along Raeford Road, where business has been on a roll since opening in July. 

She was back for a fourth time recently and found herself astonished. 

“Boy, you’ve done some moving around,” Camacho was telling Angie Underwood, who owns the nonprofit 501(c)(3) with her husband, the Rev. Tommy Underwood, and partners George and Ann Culbreth, who attend Tabernacle Baptist Church, where Tommy Underwood delivers the Sunday sermons. “I like it better this time.”

If you are looking to donate everything from new and used clothing to household furnishings or children’s toys in support of those living with Down syndrome or autism, Maverick’s House is your kind of place. And, if you are looking for a bargain, Maverick’s House just might be the place for you, too. 

You’ll find bargains on everything from women’s suits, skirts and slacks, blouses, jackets, sweaters, nylon hose, bras, shoes and boots. You’ll find suits, pants, neckties, belts, socks and shoes for men. 

The inventory doesn’t stop there. 

You’ll find furniture, lamps, dishes, electronics and plenty of clothing for children, and toys. 

Most of the clothing is second-hand donations and gifts. But you’ll find new clothing, too, at Maverick’s House, once the old Highland Cleaners at the corner of Raeford Road and Robeson Street. Maverick’s House shared the building, circa 1956, owned by Grady Stephenson, with the other half rented out by another business owner as a party room. 

“Exciting news!” Angie Underwood said on New Year’s Day. “We have the other side!”

And none too soon, she’ll tell you. 

Clothing and furniture donations were coming in so rapidly in the first six months of Maverick’s House, the back storage room was overflowing, and Tommy and Angie Underwood were finding themselves renting extra storage units throughout town.

Customers browsing Maverick’s House had to navigate through the tightly packed clothing racks and furniture was placed wherever Tommy and Angie Underwood could find a vacant corner. 

‘We love it’

Today, you’ll find the clothing racks in what once was the party room, with the main entrance dedicated to used furniture, electronics, lamps, dishes and whatnots that will catch the curious eye. 

“It’s all so much better,” Angie Underwood, 65, said. “We were cramped on this side. We put the clothing on the other side. We love it.”

No argument from Ronnie Harrelson, 72, who helps his sister in the store. 

“It’s something we needed,” Harrelson said. “We can set out the furniture so people can see it. We used to have it in storage buildings.” 

Angie Underwood echoes her brother’s words. 

“We’ve now sold a lot more furniture because of the additional space,” she said. “A lot more customers are coming in. It’s way more organized. We’ve got a lot more to sell. This has definitely helped. And the vault in the other side gives us way more storage.”

Maverick’s House has been a busy place with employees Jessica Matthew and Tracy Chavis joining with Angie Underwood and Harrelson moving clothing to the newly opened side of the business named for Tommy and Angie Underwood’s grandson, Maverick, 5, who was diagnosed with Trisomy 21, aka Down syndrome, at birth. Trisomy 21, according to the National Down Syndrome Society, is described as whereby one is born with a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

The thrift store, Tommy Underwood told CityView in October, uses monies generated from sales to support those diagnosed with Down Syndrome and autism disorder. Tommy Underwood, 66, says he just wishes he would have opened the benevolence sooner. 

Inventory on top of inventory

“Christmas was great,” Angie Underwood said about a busy holiday season, “and we’ve got a lot more to sell.”

The nonprofit just needed more space for donations that just kept coming in.

Angie Underwood says that Joy Powell, who owns Blue Bike Antiques and Gifts across the street, saw on Facebook that the party room adjacent to Maverick’s House was vacant and for rent. 

“Tommy was already talking about it,” Angie Underwood said. “He was already talking to Grady Stephenson about it for about two weeks. He wasn’t sure he was going to do it.”

But he didn’t debate long the need for more space, and George Culbreth was in agreement. 

“There was a flood of donations from the community,” Culbreth, 54, said. “Oh, yeah, we needed the room. It’s a game changer.” 

Tommy Underwood was out last week crossing t’s and dotting i’s to be assured the additional side of the building complies with city safety protocols.

“We even have room for a little office,” Angie Underwood said. 

And, she says, Maverick’s House is giving thought to contacting Karl and Kim Molnar, owners of the nonprofit Miller’s Brew Coffee Shop in support of those living with autism, about adding a small concession area “where customers can buy coffee and shop.” The Underwoods always have a place for youth with autism to earn extra spending money.

Epilogue

This is a grand little nonprofit where you’ll enjoy browsing the racks of clothing or looking for just about anything that might strike your fancy. If you are ridding yourself of some used clothing or something in your home you no longer want, Maverick’s House will welcome your donation in the name of Down syndrome and autism disorder. And there’s no telling what might catch your eye when you stop by. 

Take it from Betty Camacho.

“Boy, you’ve done some moving around,” Camacho was saying last week. “I like it better this time.”

Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.

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